MONTREAL — It went from bad to worse for the Colorado Avalanche.
Colorado struggled in all phases of the game Thursday night and got blown out, 7-3, by the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. It was the second loss in as many days, and eighth in the past 12 contests for the Avs after starting this campaign with a historic 31-2-7 record. They’ve lost two straight four times this month, and four of the past five losses have been by three goals or more.
Jakub Dobes, who allowed seven goals on 29 shots during a 7-2 loss to the Avs in Denver earlier this season, made 26 saves for Montreal. Scott Wedgewood had his toughest outing of the campaign, allowing seven goals on 28 shots.
“That’s a goalie loss,” said Wedgewood, who was in net for the first time since the birth of his second child last week. “It’s unfortunate they get one super early and then … just nothing clean for me. I made some choices I’ve prided myself on not making and it cost us.
“I’m OK with some of those going in. It’s just the shitty bounces and situations you put yourself in that cause shitty bounces was something I needed to smarten up on today. For whatever reason, it was just one of those nights that gives you a slice of humble pie.”
It didn’t take long for things to go sideways in this one. Noah Dobson scored on a one-timer from Lane Hutson just 56 seconds in, on Montreal’s first shot of the game.
Brock Nelson got that one back at 4:09 with a nifty goal. He used Hutson as a screen during a rush and snapped one past Dobes for his 28th goal of the year. It’s also his 22nd goal in the past 28 contests.
That did not steady the ship for Colorado. Keaton Middleton went to the penalty box for cross-checking, and the Canadiens scored 27 seconds later. Ivan Demidov teed up a one-timer from the top of the right circle, which Wedgewood stopped. But Josh Manson was unable to tie up Montreal captain Nick Suzuki at the edge of the crease, and deposited the rebound at 5:51 for a power-play goal.
The Avs had a chance to even the score with a power play of their own, and that did not go well. Colorado struggled to do anything productive in the first minute of the opportunity, and then Oliver Kapanen pitchforked the puck up and out of the Montreal zone … and Suzuki collected it for a breakaway shorthanded goal at 7:33 of the first and a 3-1 lead for the home side.
That was the ninth shorthanded goal against for Colorado — which is the most in the NHL — and six in the past 15 games.
“Yeah, it’s not good enough,” Avs defenseman Cale Makar said. “Basically all on me for most of them. I’ve just got to be the last guy back. Especially the one tonight, I thought it was going down for icing. In that scenario, you can’t really think about it. You’ve got to just turn around and skate.
“That one’s definitely fully on me and just happening more often this year than in past years. I’ve got to find a way to better at that.”
Things steadied for the Avalanche in the second period. The visitors created several great chances and looked more like the league’s best outfit at even strength, but Dobes stoned them for 16 minutes before further calamity.
Wedgewood went behind his net, but misjudged the puck and Jake Evans beat him to it. Then Wedgewood and Brent Burns collided, leaving Evans to walk out in front and score into an empty net at 16:36 of the second.
That made it 4-1. And it was 5-1 before the Centre Bell patrons were done celebrating.
Kirby Dach shot the puck from behind the Colorado net off Wedgewood and in at 17:16 to make it a four-goal Montreal advantage.
“Just having trouble putting the puck in the net, and we’re having trouble keeping it out of our net right now, too,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “It’s kind of tough sledding for us right now, but we’ve got to be a little in some areas again than we were tonight.”
The Avs did mount a bit of a comeback from there. Joel Kiviranta scored on the rebound of a Sam Malinski shot 50 seconds later to make it a 5-2 game.
Then Ross Colton broke a long drought with a goal from the slot at 4:38 of the third. He outmuscled Hutson in front and took a pass from Valeri Nichushkin to collect his sixth goal of the season — and first in 26 games, since Nov. 26 against San Jose.
At that point, there was more than 15 minutes left and time for something dramatic. The good vibes last barely more than a minute.
A Burns shot was blocked in the right circle, which led to a 2-on-1 the other way. Alexandre Carrier buried a one-timer from Suzuki to make it 6-3 at 5:45 of the third. Juraj Slafkovsky added further insult when the puck just came to him near the right post for an easy tap-in after a scrambled situation at 9:55, but the outcome was long decided by then.
“They should keep their heads up,” Wedgwood said of his teammates. “We played well enough to win that game. That one’s on me.
“Throughout the year, we bail each other out at different times. They score goals on nights when you’re not having it and (Mackenzie Blackwood) and I make saves on nights when they’re not having it. They played a good game today, and it’s just unfortunate that hockey teaches you lessons and that’s one you’ve got to learn from.”
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